Constantia acquires Hueck Folien

Constantia Flexibles, parent company of pharmaceutical packaging provider Constantia Sittingbourne (formerly G&A Healthcare Packaging) has acquired a majority interest in Hueck Folien, a leading European manufacturer of flexible packa-ing for the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Initially the acquisition represents 70% of the shares in Hueck's packaging business, with an option to purchase the remaining 30% later.

The acquisition will significantly enhance Constantia Flexibles' global market position in the flexible packaging market, especially in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.

The acquisition does not include the Hueck Folien site located in Baumgartenberg, Austria, which produces exclusively films for technical and security purposes that are not part of Constantia Flexibles' core business. Nevertheless, both companies will continue to pursue synergies between the technical films and flexible packaging business sectors.

'This acquisition by Constantia Flexibles provides us with an opportunity to offer our customers new technologies alongside a broader product range,' said Steve Godwin, managing director of Constantia Sittingbourne. 'It also significantly expands and strengthens Constantia's geographical market coverage, notably in the US.'

Jan Homan, ceo of Constantia Flexibles and a member of the Constantia Packaging executive board, added: 'The pharma-healthcare market is a very promising and rapidly growing area for the packaging industry and one in which we have considerable experience. The acquisition of Hueck Folien represents a major step forward in Constantia Flexibles' growth strategy.'

Hueck manufactures flexible packaging at four sites, including two in Germany and one each in Belgium and the United States. In 2005, the company had 840 employees and generated sales of approximately Euro 160m in the flexible packaging business.